MI Turns Green with Conservation – and the Moves are Saving Serious Money
The response to this special report has been overwhelming. From the largest companies to the smallest retailer, everyone seems to be running, not walking, toward the renewable and the sustainable. It’s all about the carbon footprint, being more environmentally conscious.
Peter Mix knew there would be a carbon fiber mandolin. He just didn’t know he would be the one creating it.
Mix worked with Rogers Mandolin for a decade, and when the company shuttered its doors in 1996, Mix looked around for something to do. He says he was fascinated by what was happening at Composite Acoustics and Rainsong and how they were building carbon fiber guitars. “I loved what I was hearing and playing, and it just seemed inevitable that someone would build a carbon fiber mandolin.”
While Sam Ash’s history of putting environmental concerns front and center goes back almost 20 years, the real emphasis on the issue has happened over the past five, says COO Sammy Ash. They have long purchased recycled pallets, looked at ways to use less cardboard, and partnered with local recycling groups. “We’ve been proactive for a long time now.”
As part of its efforts to protect the environment and earth’s resources, Guitar Center, the world’s largest musical instrument and professional audio retailer, has made major changes to its operational procedures, already yielding significant results. This ongoing “Green” initiative reduces the company’s carbon footprint and conserves fuel and wood resources.
Marc Harris of Harris Musical Products was creating buzz in disproportion to size of his modest summer NAMM booth, and it was due in no small part to his partnership with a bold new startup called Wheatware.
